Tool joint



l. C. HARRIS TOOL JOINT Original Filed July 26, 1929 Nov. 27, 1934;

'Patented Nov. 27, 1934' 'Toon Y Irving o. Harris,

JOINT Los Angeles, Calif.l

' original application July 26, 1929, serial No.

this application January 24, 1931, Serial N0. 511,100.- Renewed Febru-381328. Divided and ary.13, 1934 9 Claims.

This invention -relates to tool-joints which are A specially adapted forusein connecting together the sections of drill-pipe and other partsused in deep well drilling operations, such as describedl in mycompanion application, Serial Number 381328,. led July .26, 1929 nowPatent No. 1,891,416, patented Dec. 20,' 1932 of which this case is adivision.

In carrying on operations according tothe method described in theabovementioned application, it is desirable to use a string ofdrill-pipe having three passageways, or conduits, for thel '125' and soconstructed and assembled that the sections may be connected together ordisconnected very quickly.

Another object is to provide a means of connecting together andsupporting the drill-pipe sections such that each of the three tubes ofa section of drill-pipe will carry approximately its proportionateportion of the weight of all drillpipe hanging in the well below thestated section, and such that the tool-joint will be of ample strengthand so connected to the several tubes that it will eiectively carrythrough the tool-joint the total axial loading and distribute theloading between the several tubes. In drilling. very deep wells, theaxial loading on the drill-pipe at the upper end is very great; and itis important that each of the several tubes formingthe drill-pipe shallcarry approximately its own weight and that the tool-joint shall havestrength at least equal to that of the straightway portions of thedrill-pipe. t v

Another object is to provide a means of joining the sections o!vdriilpipe which will insure the -joints between the companiontubes'torming the several .passageways being iluid-tight against leakagefrom one passageway toranother, or from A the outermost to the spaceoutside.

Another object is to providea means of connecting together the sectionsof drill-pipe that will make it impossible lto make an incorrect matingof the three passageways, y

(ci. 28s-22) A further object is to provide a means of removing thedrill-pipe from the well without iiooding two of-the conduits underoccasional conditions when the third conduit is plugged at the bottomand is filled with mud and water to a point above the tool-joint beingdisconnected.

Another object is to provide a means of connecting together andsupporting a string of drill'- pipe with three passageways for uid suchthat, While fulfilling all of the other objects mentioned herein, one ofthe passageways is so disposed with reference to the others 'that thefluid flowing in it toward the drilling mechanism will be protected fromcontamination byleakage into it by two walls of metal in the straightwayportions of the drill-pipe and by two seals or packings at the joints inthe tool-joints, anda iiow of the exhaust actuating fluid between thetwo walls o! metal and two seals or packings aforesaid at a pressurebelow that of the uid flowing toward the drilling mechanism in the rstmentioned conduit, and with a direction and velocity such that the flowof the fluid between the two walls and two packings will tendto carryany leakage, that may pass the rst wall into the conduit between the twowalls, upward and out of the conduit at the surface of the ground, andtend to prevent the said leakage uid passing through the second wall ofmetal or second set ot seals or packings at the tool-joints.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides inparts, inthe construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and theirequivalents, herein- -afterdescribed and claimed and illustrated by wayof example in the accompanying drawing, lin which: l

Fig. 1 isa view of the tool-joint as it appears in cross-section in twoplanes intersecting in the axis of the tool-joint as indicated by-section-line 1-,1 `in Fig. 2. The planes of the section are so chosenthat the portion of Fig,` 1 to the lett of the centerline shows across-section through the iluid passages, and the portion to the rightof the center-line shows a cross-section through the 'supporting andcentering webs which connect theconcentric tubes together.

Fig. 2 is a view of the tool-Joint shown in Fig. 1 as it appears incross-section in va. plane at right angles to its axis, throughv thesupporting and centering webs as indicated by section-line 2-2 in Fig.1, and lookingdownward Fig.l 3 is a view of the tool-joint snownmmLr yas it appears in cross-section in a plane at right on Fig. 1, andlooking downward. v

Fig. 4 is a view of the tool-joint shown in Fig. 1

las it appears in cross-section in two, parallelloiset planes at rightangles to the axis of the"t/ool joint, through two sets of supportingand centering webs as indicatediby the off-set section-line 4 4 in Fig.1, and looking upward.

Fig. 5 is a View of the tool-joint shown in Fig. 1 as it appears incross-section in a plane at right angles to its axis, through thesupporting and centering webs, as indicated by the section-line 5-5 inFig. 1, and looking upward. f

Fig. 6 is a View of the lower portion of the tool-joint shown in Fig. 1,as it appears in side elevation when the upper portion is disconnectedfrom it. f

Fig. '7 is a view of a portion of the upper portion of the tool-jointshown in Fig. 1, as it appears in side elevation fwhen it isdisconnected from the lower portion of the tool-joint. A partial sectionindicates the position of the two inner, concentric sleeves, '75 and'76.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-section showing the type of packing used inthe tool-joint shown in Fig. 1.

The details of construction are quite fully disclosed in the drawing;and the courses of the fluids in their passage through the joint areindicated by arrows. Important members are the packings, (which may bealternately as shown at '72) and '71i (which may be alternately as shownat '73). These packings are to prevent the minrz gling of the fluidsbetweenfthe several passages under all conditions of operation. Thealternate constructions shown are occasioned by differences in thematerials and the manner of assembly of the packings. It is to be notedthat the chevron form of the packing rings and the method of theirmounting are such that any'pressure of fluid tending to pass upwardlybetween parts '76 and 80 will cause the rings 4of packing '70 to expandand press against the cylindrical surfaces of sleeves '76 and 80 inproportion to the pressure and prevent the fluid from passing.

Particular attention is called to an important feature claimed lfor thisinvention, viz: the concentric arrangement and order of `the uids andtheir conduits. The scavenging` fluid, which `is the designation usedherein for the circulating, mud-laden water used with the rotary processand variously designated as mudf slush, wash-water, and "circulation, isin the outer of the three concentric conduits. It has a pressure up toseveral thousand pounds per square inch in very deep drilling. Theexhaust actuating fluid flowing upward from the fluid-pressureoperateddrilling mechanism, is in the intermediate conduit and has a pressurebelow that of the scavenging fluid and below that of the actuating fluidgoing downward to the drilling mechanism in the inner conduit. Packing'70 (or '71) prevents the higher pressure from entering the intermediateconduit through the joint at the tooljoint; but, occasionally, it may beless than 100% effective, in which case, any limited leakage may becarried upward by the rapidly moving exhaust actuating uid.

The compressedactuating fluid may have a pressure of from one to severalhundred pounds per square inch;` and leakage into the innermost conduitthrough which it flows downward to the drilling mechanism can not takeplace except in case of complete breakdown of the packing 70,

or at some other point, and the flooding of the intermediate conduit andthe building up of a pressure in excess of the pressure of the fluid inthe inner conduit.

In the construction illustrated in the drawing, packing '71,(alternately 73) is shown with some of the packing rings in a reversedposition, which arrangement is used so that, in case of flooding of theintermediate conduit, the `reversed rings will act more effectively tocause the expansion of the packings to prevent the fiow of fluid fromthe 4metal shoulder joint at '74 and the two packings '70 (or '72) and'71 (or '73), which are automatic packings of the type indicated in Fig.8, completely isolate the fluids in the several conduits from eachother.

Another feature claimed for this combination lies in the fact that, inwithdrawing the drillpipe from the well under occasional conditions whenthe outermost conduit is plugged at the lower end and that conduit isfilled with the scavenging fluid to a point above the tool-joint beingtaken apart, the tapered-thread joint may be unscrewed and thebutt-joint '74 opened far enough to allow the fluid filling theoutermost conduit above the joint being taken apart to drain out whilethe packing '70 remains in contact with part '76 and effective inpreventing the scavenging fluid from entering the intermediate and innerconduits. After the scavenging fluid has stopped flowing the joint maybe taken away.

Another important feature claimed is the mann er of centering andsupporting the three concentric tubes with respect to each other. Theintermediate tube 10 is centered and supported within the outer tube 9by the seating of part 80 within the outer tube, and part '76 screwed upto a seating in part 19 at the shoulder at 15. The intermediate tube isput under a slight initial tension by adjustment of part 76 inscrewing-it to its seat at l5 in order to insure the taking on of axialloading by the intermediate tube as soon as the outer tube begins toelongate under axial loading due to the weight of drill-pipe supportedbelow the stated section of drill-pipe, After the proper adjustment ofpart 19 against the shoulder at 15, the intermediate tube is expandedinto part 19. Ribs welded in place at '7'7 assist in centering part '76within part 19.

The innermost tube isI assembled within the intermediate tube `inexactly the same manner as the intermediate tube is assembled within theoutermost tube, the seating of the innermost tubing and its attachedmembers 75 and 78 being indicated at 17- and 18.

Fig.` `6 shows the outside appearance of the lower part of a tool-jointwith the upper part taken' away from it; and Fig. 'I shows a portion ofthe upper part. A partial cross-section indicates the position of thetwo sleeves 'I5 and 76 which engage packings 'I0 and 71.

Details of the centering and supporting webs are indicated bycross-sections shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, .and 5, which are taken on thesection- I lines 2-2, .3-3, 4-4, and 5 5, respectively, in

Fig. 1.

Itis pointed out that, by means of tool-joints constructed as set forthherein, sections of drillpipe providing three conduits for theconveyance of fluid, may be made up permanently and be used in much thesame manner as far as handling inthe derrick is concerned as theordinary single-conduit drill-pipe, and, at the same time, insure therapid and correct matching and alignment and positive fluid-tightness ofthe several conduits, together with all of the other objects" set forthherein, including the use of the tooljoints, or parts thereof, forconnecting drill-pipe to other parts used in well-drilling and forconnecting other parts together, as well as in connecting togethersections of drill-pipe.

While I have shown and described the specic construction of one form inwhich the inven. tion may be embodied, it is obvious that the same iscapable of various modifications within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from the salient features of the invention.

l. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having' three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the'intermediate sleeve of one unit being adapted for welding to theintermediate pipe section at one end and attached by a threaded joint atthe other end to a rotatable member whichis centered within a bore andsupported against a shoulder formed in the outer sleeve of the sameunit, the said rotatable member and the threaded joint being adapted toallow adjustment of the relative axial position of the rotatable memberand the intermediate sleeve, the said tool-joint when assembled having acentral bore and two annular series of passageways forming communicationbetweenthe inner pipe sections and between the spaces separating theinner and intermediate pipe sections and between the spaces separatingthe intermediate and outer pipe sections, respectively.

2. A tool-joint comprising two units with mat- -ing threaded portions,the outer end of each unit having vthree concentric sleeves adapted tobe attached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the innersleeve of one unit being prepared for connecting to the inner pipesection at one end and attached by va threaded joint at the other endto\a rotatable member which is centered within a b ore and supportedagainst a shoulder formed in the intermediate sleeve of the same unit,the said rotatable member and the threaded joint being adapted to allowadjustment of the relative axial position of the rotatable member andthe inner sleeve, the s'aid tool-joint when assembled having a centralbore and two annular series/of passageways forming communication betweenthe inner pipe'sections and between the spaces separating the inner andintermediate'pipe'sections and between the spaces separating theintermediate and outer pipe sections, respectively.

3. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the intermediatesleeve of one unit being prepared for attachment to the intermediatepipe section at one end and attached by a threaded joint at the otherend to a rotatable member which is centered within a bore and supportedagainst a shoulder formed in the outer sleeve of the same unit, thesaidrotatable member and the threaded joint being adapted to allowadjustment of the relative axial position of the rotatable member andthe intermediate sleeve, the inner sleeve of the same unit beingprepared for attachment to the inner pipe section at one end andattachedby a threaded joint at the other end to a rotatable member whichis centered within a bore and supported against a shoulder formed in therotatable member rst above mentioned, the inner rotatable member and theinner threaded joint being adapted to allow adjustment of thev relativeaxial position of the inner rotatable member and the inner sleeve, thesaid tool-joint when assembled having a central bore and two annularseries of passageways forming communication between the inner pipesections and between the spaces separating the inner and intermediatepipe sections and between the spaces separating the intermediate andouter pipe sections, respectively.

4. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the intermediatesleeve of one unit being prepared for attachment to the intermediatepipe section at one end and attached by a threaded joint at the otherend yto a rotatable member `which is centered within a bore andsupported against a shoulder formed in the outer sleeve of the sameunit, the said rotatable member and f the threaded joint being adaptedto allow adjustment of the relative axial position of the rotatablemember and the intermediate sleeve,-the inner sleeve of one unit beingprepared for attachment to the inner pipe section at one end andattached by a threaded joint at the other end to a rotatable -memberwhich is centered within ya bore and supported against a shoulder formedin the intermediate sleeve of the unit of which the said inner sleeve isa part, the said rotatable member and the threaded joint connecting itto the said inner sleeve being adapted to allow adjustment of therelative axial position of the said inner sleeve and the rotatablemember connected thereto, the said tool-joint when assemled having acentral bore and two annular series .a central bore and two annularseries o f passage- 'ways forming communication ybetween the'inner pipesections andbetween the spaces separating the inner and intermediatepipe Ysections and between the spaces separating the intermediate andouter pipe serctions, respectively, one of the units having a memberforming a continuation of the intermediate sleeve of that unit andpositioned within a cylindrical bore in the companion member of theother unit when the tool-joint is assembled, the two members havinginstalled between them a series of packing rings and packing retainingmeans, of such form and installed in such a manner as to beautomatically expanded and pressed inwardly against the inner member andoutwardly against the said cylindrical bore by the pressure of the uidwhich the packing is intended to prevent from passing between the twomembers.

6. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the saidtool-joint when assembled having a central bore and two annular seriesof passageways forming communication between the inner pipe sections andbetween the spaces separating the inner and intermediate pipe sectionsand between the spaces separating the intermediate and outer pipesections, respectively, one of the units having a member forming acontinuation of the intermediate sleeve of that unit and positionedwithin a cylindrical bore in the companion memy ber of the other unitwhen the tool-joint is assembled, the two members having installedbetween them packing means comprising a series of packing rings andpacking retaining means of such form and installed in such a manner asto be automatically expanded and pressed inwardly against the innermember and outwardly against the said cylindrical bore by the pressureof the fluid which the packing is intended to prevent from passingbetween the two members, the described action of the packing means andthe length of the members, axially, being such that the packing meanswill act as described continuously as the two units of the tool-jointare separated axially by the unscrewing of the connecting threaded jointuntil the said threaded joint is disengaged. j

7. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the saidtool-joint when assembled having a central bore and two annular seriesof passageways forming communication between the inner pipe sections andbetween the spaces separating the inner and intermediate pipe sectionsand `between the spaces separating the intermediate and outer pipesections, respectively, one of the units having a member forming acontinuation of the inner sleeve of that unit and positioned within abore in the companion member of the other unit when the tool-joint isassembled, the two members having installed between them a series ofpacking rings and packing retaining means, of such form and installed insuch -a manner as to be automatically expanded and pressed inwardlyagainst the inner member and outwardly against the said bore by thepressure of the fluid the packing rings are intended to prevent frompassing through between the two members.

8. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the saidtool-joint when assembled having a central bore and two annular seriesof passageways forming communication between the inner pipe sectionsandbetween the spaces separating the inner and intermediate pipesections and between the spaces separating the intermediate and outerpipe sections, respectively, one of the units having a member forming acontinuation'of the inner sleeve of that unit and positioned within abore in the companion member of the other unit when the tool-joint isassembled, the two members having installed between them a series ofpacking rings and packing retaining means, of such form and installed insuch a manner as to be expanded and pressed inwardly against the innermember and outwardly against the outer member by the pressure of thefluid the packing rings are intended to prevent from passing throughbetween the two members in one direction, and the said two membershaving installed between them a second series of packing rings installedin reverse position in a manner to be expanded and pressed inwardlyagainst the inner member and outwardly against the outer member by thepressure of the fluid the latter series of rings 1,

is intended to prevent from passing through between the two members inthe opposite direction.

9. A tool-joint, comprising two units with mating threaded portions, theouter end of each unit having three concentric sleeves adapted to beattached to the ends of three concentric pipe sections, the saidtool-joint when assembled having a central bore and two annular seriesof passageways forming communication between the inner pipe sections andbetween the spaces separating the inner and intermediate pipe sectionsand between the spaces separating the intermediate and outer pipesections, respectively, one of the units having a member forming acontinuation of the intermediate sleeve of that unit and positionedwithin a cylindrical bore in the companion member of the other unit whenthe tool-joint is assembled, the two members having installed betweenthem packing means so adapted that the pressure of any fluid tending topass between the two members will expand and press the said packingmeans inwardly against the inner member and outwardly against the saidbore, and one of the units having a v member forming a continuationofthe inner sleeve of that unit and positioned within a bore in thecompanion member of the other unit when the tool-joint is assembled, thetwo members having installed between them packing means so adapted thatthe pressure of any fluid tending to pass between the two members willexpand and press the said packing means inwardly against the innermember and outwardly against the said bore.

IRVING C. HARRIS.

